The InBetween
by spontaneousliplock
Summary: Set PostS2 Finale except the shooting happened during Homecoming of the next year. Reviews highly welcomed.
1. Chapter I: We're Still Fighting It

Warning: This edition is unrevised and un-beta'ed.

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beep.

It was almost laughable how things seemed to work themselves out so slowly when trying to move forward, but one quick slice could slide any mortal back in time. How moments of happiness seemed so distant and not quite as enjoyable in hindsight as they were beforehand or for the better part, in the moment. That would be the stuff drug addicts were made of. That one momentary high, the one so abstract after the fact. The one to strive for. At that moment, Ashley Davies wasn't sure if she'd ever had a high in her life. Her heart was flatter at that moment and spread thinner than the bedpan that kept her company in the empty chair next to her. Only a day ago, the room was filled with concerned people. Only an hour before that, she was caught in the crossfires of some spontaneous exchange of metal piercing through five other students at King High. She'd been sitting so long in the same chair waiting for some kind of response aside from that wretched-

beep.

It was driving her insane. She mulled over the moment over and over again. Possibly if the positioning were different, maybe the aim would have been off kilter. Or if she'd said something, it would have changed. The worst part was that even after the gunsmoke and heartache, even after the sirens and prayers, even after the condolences and ironies, none Ashley's problems had been solved. After all she'd been through, the world decided to defy its own inexplicable law: Nothing changed. Nothing. Well, nothing except for the IV, the scent of faux cleanliness similar to that of a hotel room, and the equally nauseating scent of flowers clashing in the air against one another fighting for dominance in the already stuffy room.

beep.

She wished it was that easy. To just make a decision, take that change, have that fifty-fifty chance of being right and winning that life of perfection she'd only dreamed of having. That unattainable high... but it wasn't fifty-fifty. If Ashley decided on Aiden, then she'd lose Spencer forever, the only one who ever got her, the only one who supported her and forgave her, the only one who ever risked everything for her. Then again, if she decided to stay with Spencer, Aiden would be out of her life, the man that listened to all her problems with her family, friends, and relationships, even when that relationship was with him, the one who picked her up at three-thirty in the morning at some dive across town, the would be father to their would be child. And, of course, if she chose neither, she would have neither in the end. No one to love and no one to love her. It wasn't really their love that was the problem. She had come to the conclusion hours ago that they both truly loved her in their own way. It was Ashley's love that was confusing. She never really knew what love was before them and nor could she differentiate between the love of a family and the love of a lover, sick as that was.

beep.

Ashley continued on, staring at the machine that could possibly have been more of her lifeline than the one it was reading. Her thoughts drifted further and further. The room felt colder and colder... when was the last time the nurses came in to check on her? How much time before visiting hours would be closed? Would anyone really contest to a tear-stained teenager at the bedside of- "Heyyy..." The trailings of a weak voice carried to her ears like a dying ghost. Ashley snapped up instantly. Finally. She looked into those eyes and a flood of relief filled her own, threatening to spill over. Her chest compressed for the want of tears. Her fingertips began to tremble. Blood rushed up to her head and out through her ears in a sigh of excitement. Her voice was almost gone from the simultaneous yet unconscious actions of her body. She uttered an equally low, "Hey" with a large smile on her pearly whites. "I brought you some jell-o. You know... for your troubles." She said, trying to seem light-hearted.

"Mmm thanks." Yeah, right. Ashley's full smile reduced to a smirk. "Okay troubles seem to be the least of your worries I guess." She reasoned this as she took the jell-o and dug into it herself. Her stomach began unknotting itself and already it was begging for sustinence. "Your parents left earlier. They wanted to go home and pick up some of your things so you'd feel more at home here in this uh... mental institution slash prison renovated nine by eight cell... come to mention it, it's a little more retro-Matrix with a dash of Sweet Home Alabama." She played with her food as it became instantly as interesting as the next episode of Heroes when the realization that the latter option would lead to confronting her problems. Unable to help herself though, she looked up at those eyes... the ones that pierced through her worse than any bullet ever could... and she knew her decision.

"I love you too, Aiden." Her voice was shaky, forcing out every excruciating consanent and vowel of her decision, her verdict. "And I jus-" As Ashley looked up at Aiden, he didn't seem to be looking back at her as they did in normal conversation. Instead, oh no. Her head flung to the door way, and sure enough life had its wonderful way of rearing its ugly head, changing everything. "Spencer, I..." Before Ashley could say anymore, Spencer had dropped her coffee, dropped the flowers, and ran off in some poorly dictated direction. Ashley leaped out of her chair, intinctively rushing after the girl. No, no no. She almost had it all planned out. Almost. The world never gave any leverage to almosts and what ifs, so why start now? There was only one direction and it led to one door. Ashley pummelled the handle of the door reading 'Stairs' and caught Spencer's arm just as she was decending the stairwell. Spencer's head whipped back and stared directly at Ashley with pseudo-silver icy blue eyes that suddenly made Ashley feel like she was an inch tall.

"You know what I'm happy for you." She spat out without so much as a speck of thought or logic anymore. All there was within Spencer was vindictive opinion and the venom of hate. She ripped her upper arm out of Ashley's grip with a thrash that nearly took Ashley down a flight of steps. "Glad to know that when it comes down to it, this is your decision. You know what? I'm tired of it anyways, your selfishness, your insatiable need for attention and gratification, all your crap and baggage. I'm through!" Ashley quickly wiped the shock off her face from this uncharacteristic monologue of beatdowns and putdowns, quipping herself with some fuel to continue. "Good, I'm glad little Miss Carlin can finally relieve herself of the burden of me. I'm done being your little post pubescant high school experiment." Ashley wasn't sure where this was coming from, but it seemed to flow off the tip of her tongue as if the gun had already been loaded. "Yeah, I've come to my conclusion now, you are definitely not my type." Every jagged dagger edge of a syllable killed at Ashley. "Right, that's not really what you were saying a few nights ago, what was it? 'Oh yes, you're so good, Ashley, just like that' Sure sounded like your type to me." Spencer squinted her eyes in a single look that paraded the phrase 'I can't believe you' in banners and blimps.

Spencer seemed to be out of things to say at that point, and Ashley would have been surprised if she could go on anymore either. They huffed at one another before a member of hospital staff rushed through the doorway and down the steps, and before Ashley could even attempt to muster another cannonball tyrade, Spencer was out the door. Out and out of her life forever, and at that point, Ashley cared more about that check engine light on her car than the blaringly obvious fact. Realizing that she had more to spit at Spencer, Ashley grabbed the door handle intending on chasing the girl down some more, but it didn't seem to budge. An onslaught of curses filled her head as she realized that a passcard was needed to open the door. After jiggling at the door, the knocking, then banging, then kicking, and some screaming, Ashley resigned to the top step of the floor, curling up in her little ball, and crying hard for the first time in a while. God, what had she gotten herself into?

A week had passed and yet it didn't seem to dull that stinging unexplainable jab against Ashley's midsection from sun up to down. She felt genuine happiness when Aiden was released from the hospital, but had to partially feign that same sense of happiness when Aiden wrapped his free arm around her at school. It wasn't the same arm he used to use, that arm was in a sling. Everything seemed to feel different the way it would if Ashley could have wrapped everything she touched in bubble wrap before actually touching it. No, detached couldn't quite explain the phenomenon that had overcome her. It was a jaded happiness mixed in with a large helping of blandness and normalcy that made her feel about as uncomfortable as the position she was in walking down the hallway with the stares, and Aiden's unintentional limp. She was almost ready to just flat out make a run for it, but something kept her anchored down.

Ashley looked up at Aiden and felt the sensation of touching the ground, a nostalgic sentiment she lacked after they broke up. Aiden really was her anchor to reality. He looked down at her from his semi-awkward height and offered her a smile. True fulfillment. Ashley disguised her undeniable flash of envy by looking away and towards the crowd building ahead of them like a pig pen mass of taxicabs in the midsts of rush hour in New York City. Jealousy. That wasn't really part of the package. She hadn't expected that one. Ashley brushed past a few oncoming contraflowers and looked up just in time to catch the rear phrases to Aiden's conversation. "-so I will see you at lunch instead okay?" He blindsided Ashley with a quick kiss that forced her to hastenly conceal the cringing disgust she had for herself and the part she played in the act.

With that, Aiden was gone, leaving Ashley to opt a beeline away from her class and directly for the girl's bathroom. The door slammed shut behind her, but only came to her ears as a muffle. She was dizzy from the change, and it almost seemed as if the world was trying to redeem itself for all that left unchanged in those critical twenty-four hours at the hospital. All the sights and sounds, lights and noises, seemed padded like she was underwater. Everything came all too hard for Ashley, even breathing, as she ran over to the sink. Her hands reached up to turn the water full force in an autopilot distress plan, splashing cold water on her face over and over until her pores were saturated with that sense of tangibility that seemed lost. This wasn't the same intangible easily cured by a solidity, an anchor. This was a different type of unreal.

One that handicapped her for the moments to come. "Wonderful start to the day." She heard a voice resonating through her ears and beating on them like a Taiko drum at a dragon festival. "Top of the morning to you too, cowlick." Ashley really didn't feel like dealing with the situation before her at that point in time, or rather she didn't really feel like ever dealing with it. She was getting to be perfectly happy being flawlessly miserable. "Oh reduced to namecalling now, Ashley, really we've come past the shooting ranges of first grade, how about an actual insult." Spencer replied, rolling her eyes in the wake of her own sarcasm. "An insult, now did you just give me one, or are you waiting for me to brush you with some greatness?" Ashley walked past the other girl, tugging at the towel dispenser and drying her hands and face. "Your self-assured ignorance is unfathomable, really. Did you have to work to be this arrogant or did it come naturally?" Spencer could almost cry if she didn't feel so cold and empty. "I was actually working to be as naively oblivious as you, but this was all the gumball dispenser of life gave me to work with." The past week, her entire family had never been more happy to see Spencer safe, at home, and studiously tending to her schoolwork while Spencer wouldn't have been more miserable. Something within her just lost its will to live after hearing an undying profession of love from the one she loved to another person. "Which clearly wasn't a lot from what I've been able to see."

"Probably because you're too oblivious to care." Ashley said in a final huff before swinging the bathroom door wide open and this time, leaving Spencer to deal with the aftermath.

Lunchtime had rolled around with no hint of letting up from the storm that was brewing between the once-perfect couple. Perfection could only last for so long, only run so far before reality caught up with its cruel reason. Ashley fiddled with her Fiji water acutely tuning out whatever Aiden was talking about, smiling every so often as if to get the gist. Her daze was run astray when someone knocked into her. She was unoffended, but that was before she took the time to recognize the offender. "The trick to walking is left, then right, not left, then left." Ashley shot a look at Spencer for effect. Spencer was getting better at looking unphased phrase by lethal phrase. "Oh I guess I should chalk if up to my obliviousness." Spencer took her tray of food and her dignity to a different table before either of them could be chanced in the fray. As she sat, a few girls offered to sit alongside and she blankly accepted.

Ashley shook her head, stuck in a stage of what could only be explained as incredulousness. She watched Spencer watch her before scheming that there were worse things she could be doing. She leaned in against Aiden, with an Oscar-winning smile with an untraceable hint of 'I'm totally faking it'. Aiden in turn wrapped his arm securely over Ashley's shoulders, reassuring her in his particularly articulate way, "It's alright Ash. Don't let that get to you. We're alright now." Yeah, sure, alright was good and fine, but at the end of the day, it was to put it simply, just alright, and never more. Ashley nodded along with a slight chuckle. She could almost feel that Oscar in her grasp pressed on by the fiery jealousy blazing in her peripheral vision. "So what do you think about tomorrow, then? Are we still on?" A splice of annoyance cut through her act, but Ashley quickly recovered. Was there really an available no to that statement? She was already bound both socially and physically to be there. "Yeah of course. It'll just be like old times." Ashley responded, masking her despondancy.

The bell rang to signal the end of another mind-numbing episode of Ashley's nightmare. She excused herself as God had blessed her to have classes on opposite ends of the school from Aiden for the remaining of the school day. Her relief was shortlived as God had a sick sense of humor. She had every cursed class with Spencer instead. Ashley carried herself step by next trudgingly painful step towards class. Every footstep forward was calling her to just skip the rest of the school day, but expulsion had the upper hand in this case as she sat in her seat in Van Eckel's class with only a few precious minutes of solitude before the caws of vultures and the pain that was Spencer Carlin.

Ashley watched and to her surprise, Madison and her goon squad walked straight past her without so much as a mention to the unkempt open wounds of her still-tender heart. That wasn't to say no one had any lemons handy. Spencer soon followed and Ashley now regretted her own bright idea at the beginning of the year to seat herself beside her then-beau now enemy. How quickly things could change. She looked over at Spencer with eyes long abandoned as the afternoon sunlight brushed against her soft hair. Ashley let herself go for a second, go away to a place filled with cobwebs and memories, and just lost herself in the view of the girl next to her. How thin a line it truly was between love and hate.

Van Eckel droned on and on in her lecture about the uncanny parallels between the events of human history and current events, which irritatingly, wasn't anywhere near her subject of expertise. Ashley surreptitiously ripped a sliver of paper from her journal and after putting ink to paper, passed it over to Spencer who was jotting down notes of God knew what. She looked over to Ashley with a glare that Ashley was now getting acclamated to receiving as she opened up the folded piece of paper. 'Do you intend on hating me for the rest of your life because this is very unsaintly of you.' Geez, a simple question would have done it, but recently Ashley seemed to feel gracious enough as to add an unobligatory insult to every asinine remark she sent Spencer's way. Spencer wrote back and crumpled the paper into a ball before throwing it at Ashley's head.

Ashley flinched at the projectile, while staving off the urge to retaliate and opened the paper. 'You're one to talk about saints. You made your decision. You caused this.' Ashley couldn't help but roll her eyes in response, eyeing Spencer and mouthing 'Oh yeah, very fourth grade with the blame game, Carlin.' Ashley took the paper and threw it back at Spencer's head, which unfortunately Spencer was deft enough in hand-eye coordination to catch. "Oh are we addressing one another by last names now, Davies? Because that's not fourth grade at all." Spencer whispered only to be rudely interrupted by one, Van Eckel, "Miss Carlin. Miss Davies. I'm sure the two of you can finish this conversation in detention."

There was a torn expression on both Ashley and Spencer's faces as to whether it was a blessing in disguise or merely a curse. Part of what was left of Spencer still yearned to be near Ashley, to be close to her presence which was what drove her to attend class, what forced her to endure the rampant Sam's Club sized insults and vengeful glares. Spencer knew that it was pointless to continue the rest of the day if they were only going to rack up detentions in every class. That seemed like the only sure bet of the day. Spencer spent the rest of the day ignoring every dirty look, every ugly insult, every intentional shoulder shove in the hallway. It was the more effort to keep from exploding in those mere four hours than it had been for the past week of hell. This had to be hell. Somehow she must have been the one shot and she had died and gone to hell. For being gay. Oh the ironies.

Detention came, and Spencer could vomit at the sight of Aiden at that point. Her intestines were turning inside out as she helplessly eavesdropped into their overt conversation. "So I'll pick you up after detention okay? I mean, we're still on for our date tonight right?" She couldn't see Ashley. They were both outside eyeshot. "Yeah of course. I'll see you then." A pause. Spencer's hands balled up in fists at the thought of what had gone on in those two point three five seconds between the 'I'll see you then' and Ashley's appearance through the doorway. "If you sucked face any louder, the universe may implode." Spencer spat out in rage. "You know what until your insults get a little less um, belligerently ambiguous, I'm not going to dignify you with a response." I love you so much, I'm sorry, please let's just stop this. Spencer's brain had already dialed into breaking Ashley, and in some ways herself, breaking herself into her new life, the rougher one. The one without Ashley. "I hate you." It was the only thing left unsaid. The only bruise left untouched. The only line uncrossed. "I hate you too!" I didn't mean it. I swear, I didn't mean it. I didn't. I didn't mean it at all. Please tell me you didn't mean it either. Silence hung through the air like a funeral bell the rest of detention. Some things were better left unsaid.

The remaining half hour of detention was spent in silence, the solitude of shock overhanging the four occupied desks of detention. Spencer's life had gotten easier and so much harder since being apart from Ashley. The days were rather easy, with school to focus her attention on, then at home with her family loving the daylights out of the idea that Spencer was all theirs once more. She'd never thought about it, but her family liked to monopolize her time, like she was some kind of pet meant to be left at home. Spencer's mother was especially ecstatic, somehow hearing from some teenage grapevine about Ashley and their ongoing duel for dominance. The day after the hospital incident, her mother had sat her down and consoled her about how friends like that were not worth the time. Right. Friends. Denial wasn't a good look on her mother Spencer concluded while she attempted to space out to any random 'oh shiny thing' in the room.

Spencer couldn't help but glance over at Ashley at time, curious as to what she was doing, although she wondered why she did this as Ashley had been in a comatose nap for the past half hour contrary to the supervisor's belief that she was writing with her head down. Amazing how she had the ability to retain grip of a pencil and scribble swirlies in her sleep. Spencer let out a low chuckle unintentionally at the thought. She must have had a lot of practice. The detention bell rang and Spencer glanced back over for one last look at Ashley, but the seat was already empty. She was mortified to think of could have been happening on their... 'date'.

The night went on as planned. They went to eat and bowled a few games of bowling, and after huffing and sucking at the first few games, Ashley convinced Aiden to switch over to bumper bowling. The two of them ended up in Aiden's car, making out in the backseat. Aiden was breathing hard, hovering over Ashley who looked up at him, still wondering a bit what she was doing in that car, at the precise moment. While they bowled and ate and talked and laughed, she felt almost normal, almost as if nothing had ever happened. She was free to make a few cracks at Aiden bowling with his opposite hand, or the difficulty he had eating. At that very moment, though, she felt all that happiness slip away. He had that look in his eye, the look she'd seen often and if they kissed again... Aiden moved down and Ashley wasn't ready to stop him, he was being aggressive... wanting. She, frankly, wasn't.

Aiden started kissing down her neck, and memories started flooding her, doubts, fears, Spencer. Ashley remembered the way Spencer made that little noise when she kissed down Spencer's neck, especially behind her ear. Aiden's hands moved over Ashley's stomache. His hands were rough from basketball and weight lifting, not soft, like Spencer's. Her touch was tender, gentle, and loving. It seared her skin with want, made her stomache muscles clench. Her stomache tightened from Aiden's touch, recoiling in disgust. Aiden misread it as a good sign, leaning closer to Ashley. His body was heavy. She remembered how easily it was to pin Spencer down, even when she was squirming in a tickle fight or throwing a tantrum. How beautiful and so perfectly she fit against Spencer's body.

She had to stop this. This was so wrong. "Stop, wait." Aiden leaned forward instead of back."Don't worry," he said reassuring her, "My shoulder's fine." He moved his lips up against her ear, and she shuddered, her eyes cringing. Aiden couldn't see her eyes, only assuming that she was as enthused as he was. "I missed you so much." He said, whispering against the shell of her ear. I miss you, Spence. Ashley thought to herself. He felt Aiden kiss her again, and Ashley was almost ready to cry. This wasn't the way Spencer would kiss her. Spencer's lips were soft, they never pushed, they bit on occassion when she was particularly playful, they were never aggressive, and they never felt chapped the way Aiden's did. Spencer never shoved her tongue down Ashley's throat like a jackhammer. She always licked across the top of Ashley's lips, almost as if asking for permission before carefully slipping in, lovingly, tenderly. Ashley couldn't do this anymore.

She pushed him over, "Aiden, stop. I..." There was a pause. No right words could fill the chasm. Aiden sat back. "It doesn't feel right. I mean, I don't think... I think I need to go home." Aiden sighed, "You know, you used to love doing it in the back seat." Ashley looked out the window as the patters of light rain started to drift along the pane. "Things change..." She muttered quietly. "Aiden, I don't think we should have sex." Her daze was at the droplets careening down the window and the slight mask of downpour outside. "What? Like... never?"

Ashley looked over at him, with an empty gaze. "Just take me home, please."

Aiden's car pulled up at the bend of Ashley's house and she got out without a word. She took slow steps, waiting for his car to reach far enough away before pulling a u-ie and unlocking the doors to her car. She pulled out her cell phone and opened the phonebook. Somehow, every name that appeared on her phonebook seemed so... she pressed end and speed dial five, turning at the stop sign before gaining speed. With each ring, she was ready to hang up, but for some reason, her feet were hastening the gas to get there. "Hello?" Came an unsure voice on the other line. "Come outside..." She pulled the car into park. "Please..." Ashley pulled the keys out of her car, and ran a hand over her wetted hair.

The passenger side door opened and closed in a snap. Ashley's head was pasted onto the top of the steering wheel, afraid to look over. Tears brimmed at her already wet cheeks, before dropping down onto the top of the horn. "I couldn't do it..." She tried to look over at the passenger seat, but could only make her way to the glove compartment before leaning over the armrest. The sobs were beginning to get the best of her. Spencer's arms came around her head, and by that time, the cries were so strong, she could barely breathe. They spent the rest of the night sputtering out Ashley's date with Aiden, between hiccups and tears.

"Ashley," Spencer called as she continued running her fingers soothingly over her sopping wet hair. "It's getting late, okay? Let's talk about this some other time." After a pause, Ashley shifted to look Spencer in the eye, "Are we going to work this out...?" She asked unsteadily, with a hope long-since lost. At that point, they'd said so many hateful words, she wasn't sure how to fix them. It wasn't as if Spencer had stopped loving Ashley, everything just seemed so... jaded now. "We'll see about that tomorrow, okay? I'll see you in school." Ashley shifted upright in her seat and watched as Spencer got out of the car. "Hey Spence?" She asked, watching as Spencer whipped around, looking at her. "Thank you. You're an amazing friend." Spencer smiled softly and said "Goonight, Ash." before turning and walking up to her house. Ashley felt well enough at that point to go home, and go to bed. There was something to look forward to.

Spencer walked through her door to see her mother waiting. "Spencer, honey, I thought you and Ashley were through." The girl couldn't help but roll her eyes at her mother as she locked the door, turning back around to face her. "We are." She folded her arms over her chest in defiance. That may have been a lie. "Well I'm glad because I had been so worried about you. I've been talking to Madison and-" Spencer cut her off before she could continue. "Wait, Madison?" She was suddenly furious. "Yes, Madison, now please let me finish." Her mother said to her calmly. "She had recommended a nice Catholic private school that set her straight. I've been looking at it and it seemed like a good prospect." She said in the most serious tone, "But I assumed I didn't have to go out of my way now that you don't have Ashley to lead you astray." She smiled, walking over to Spencer and kissing her on her forehead. "Thank you for coming to mass on Sunday and helping me out with the bake sale. Good night, honey." With that, Paula Carlin was gone, leaving Spencer to stand, in utter shock. Just as things were getting better, they always had a way of getting worse.


	2. Chapter II: Going Nowhere Fast

Spencer sighed, eyeing the nearest speckle on her ceiling. She was playing, what do the dots make, and barely noticed the sun creep up on her window. Thoughts were blazing through her head, torn between one end of the spectrum to the other. Her mind ripped through every possibility and all that had happened. Her eyes snapped over to the doorway as she heard the knob turn. Clay made eye contact with Spencer with a surprised expression, "Oh good you're up, uh, Glen's almost done with breakfast and we hadn't seen you all morning, so I thought I'd come check up on you." Spencer offered him a smile, sitting up on her bed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Thanks Clay." She sighed, thinking about telling Clay everything. They had been rather distant lately when usually they were very close. Spencer assumed that Clay had a lot to deal with, with Chelsea and all. "Oh okay well, I guess I'll see you in the car then." Clay trailed off as he turned, pulling the door with him. "Wait! Clay... how's Chelsea?" Clay turned around and looked at Spencer. She had a look on her face, the same ones he used to get when they had some serious talk time. He walked in and shut the door behind him. Clay leaned against the door with his hands in his pockets.

"She's holding up. I mean, she's scared, you know?" His hand gesturing out as he spoke, emphasizing his point. "She feels like her life's ruined now and I don't really know what to say to her." His eyes fell to the ground as he spoke, shrugging as he continued. "What am I supposed to say? It's easy to have a kid and go to a prestigious college? I'll put my education on the backburner to be a stay at home dad? I can't do that. I feel like I'm letting her down." Spencer moved to the edge of the bed, leaning her head down to catch her brother's eyes. "You just tell her you'll be there for her. You'll stick it through with her. I'm sure that's all she really needs. Chelsea isn't the type of girl to unload everything. She just needs you to take some of the burden too." Clay looked up at her sister, hands back in his pocket, lettign a pause run through the air before releasing a laughing sigh. "Yeah, I guess I'm half to blame..." His face turned serious. "How are you and Ashley?" Spencer turned away from Clay, not sure how to answer, not sure if she could answer. "I don't know. She and I are complicated. Aiden still loves her. She still feels for him. I can't be with someone and not have their whole heart in it. I'll feel shortchanged. I know it's selfish, but I want to come first. Even aside from that..." She stood up and looked at Clay. "You know mom threatened to send me to some Catholic private school last night?" Clay furrowed his brows, leaning away from the door. "What? That's ridiculous." He said, almost yelling, but the house was really like a tuning fork and Mother Superior had an ear for every crevice of the property. "She can't do that to you." 

"Clay, Spence, come eat breakfast before you're late for school." They both stopped and turned towards the door, hearing the echo of their mother ringing through as if she were breaking up some conspiracy. Clay looked back at her sister, hands on her shoulders. "I love you, Spencer. I just want to see you happy. I'm convinced you and Ashley are right for one another. Please work things out because if you two can't get it together, it'll make me wonder if Chels and I could." He smirked and pulled Spencer into a hug. "Thanks." Spencer said, her mind still full of confusion. She was glad though, that she had the support of at least one member of her family. Clay pulled away and smiled at Spencer before walking out the door and letting her change. Spencer sighed as she went into her closet, rummaging for some clothes. She was pretty sure that she still hated Ashley. All the time they'd been dating, all that she put up with, all that Ashley had done to her. At the same time, Spencer could think of plenty that she'd done back, plenty that she'd been at fault for. She shook her head, thinking about how quickly the relationship had dissintigrated. Maybe they just weren't strong enough. She put on some clothes and walked down to face her family, masking on a smile as she descended the steps. The breakfast table seated only Clay and her father who were already finishing up their meal. "I'm just going to grab a bagel." She said as she went into the kitchen. "I don't want Glen to leave me." Spencer looked back, "Where's mom?"

Arthur didn't look up from his food as he cut some scrambled eggs. "She got called out early because the ER's shortstaffed right now." His voice was even and eerily neutral. Spencer nodded a bit, walking over to her father and hugging him over his shoulder. "Glen's going to leave without me." She said as she kissed her father on the cheek, hurrying out the door. Arthur Carlin looked over at Clay, who wasn't planning on making eye contact. "Don't look at me, I got a ride with Sean." He said, sticking a piece of ham in his mouth and chewing leisurely.

Spencer hopped in the car and pulled at her seatbelt. "So I heard mom talk to you about St. Anne's." Spencer scrunched her brows, turning around to click her seatbelt in place. "You knew about this?" Spencer seemed to be seething before Glen could say a word. "I figured it'd be best for you. I mean, I may not be able to look out for you for too long seeing as I'm going to enlist and all." Spencer scoffed and sat back angrily. "I can take care of myself, Glen." Glen began to back out of the driveway. "Look I just want you to find a nice guy who will treat you good and with respect and all that." He said sincerely, putting the car into drive. "I want you to live a nice well protected life." Spencer didn't even know what to say about that. This all hinged on her brother loathing Ashley. Glen used to watch lesbian porn all the time in his room, thinking he was all sneaky to put on his video game to mask the sound. Spencer calmed down a bit as they were beginning to near the school. "So... the Army huh?" Glen pulled into the parking lot, looking for a parking space. "Yeah I mean, I really want to make something of myself. I was never really any smart, I can't play ball anymore, and I don't want to pump gas for the rest of my life. The Army's something I can do without really thinking. Just do as you're told." Yeah, mama's boy was always a good look for you, Glen, Spencer scoffed sarcastically in her mind. Although, when Glen spoke about the military, he seemed much more mature than the painkiller addict who was bitter about his ruined life. "Well I support you, Glen. I just want you to be happy so... even though I hate the military with their guns and their..." Spencer shrugged as she opened the car door after they had parked. "Whatever works for you, Glen." Spencer slung her backpack over her shoulder, ready to leave before turning back to her brother who was still strapped into the car. "Oh, I just wanted you to know by the way, the short time I had with Ashley was the safest, happiest time of my entire life." She knew that Glen would be upset by this, so she made it the last thing she'd say before she went off toward the school.

God strike me where I stand, Spencer thought as she saw Ashley seated in the driver's seat of her car. Ashley looked over at Spencer with a look that said 'Get in the car'. Spencer was almost ready to just run away, but by the time she made the decision that she was going to flee, she had already shut the door to Ashley's car. "I'm sorry about yesterday." She said, looking at her car horn as if it were playing Dawson's Creek. "It's okay. I'm here for you." Ashley fiddle with the leather of the steering wheel. "I know you are and that's why I'm sorry. I don't mean to come running to you with all of my problems expecting you to solve them. The thing is that I'm so used to having people like Aiden solve all my problems for me before I even have to face them that-"

"Well why don't you go talk with Aiden then." Spencer snapped just as Ashley was trying to finish her apology. "Because I don't care about Aiden." Ashley lied as she turned to face Spencer. "Of course you do," She shot back immediately, "Which is why you picked him over me." Ashley threw her hands up in the air in exhasperation. "You only heard half of that whole conversation at the hospital, how would you know who I would have picked?" Spencer screamed out in response, unable to hold it in any longer, "Because it shouldn't have even been a choice!" She sat back and crossed her arms, looking out the window as Ashley sat completely surprised by the uncharacteristic screaming of the girl in the passenger's seat. She was right though, much to her dismay. She and Aiden were over at that time, so why was she even considering it? Part of her screamed out a perfectly valid explanation, but the other stopped herself. "It's just as well anyways." Spencer said, still staring out the window. "My mom was going to send me to some stupid Catholic school if I was still with you." Ashley shook her head with a scoff. "I don't get it Spence," her voice low and demeaning, "I don't get how you can stand to be your mom's little slave." Spencer couldn't even dignify that with a response. She just shook her head and stepped calmly out of Ashley's car.

Spencer walked to her first class and sat down next to Chelsea. "Round two, ladies, gloves back on." She said as she doodled on her journal cover, not looking over as Spencer sat down. "What are you talking about?" Oh so Spencer was going to play it off. "I saw the throw your arms in the air and scream like you just don't care scene in Ashley's car." Spencer sat back and dropped her head back so she was staring at the ceiling. "That is so not something that should be talked about." Chelsea shrugged as the bell rang with Ashley hauling in as quickly as possible a split second before the teacher could notice. "As if this day couldn't get any worse, she decides to be remotely on time for once." Spencer said as she propped herself upright for class. "Bite me, Carlin." Was all Ashley said as she set her bookbag down, slumping hard in her chair. This was possibly the longest class Chelsea had ever been in and the bell had just rung. Ding, ding, ding, she muttered under her breath as if chiming in the new round, just as she began to hear the two bickering in whispers back and forth like some chattering chipmunks fighting over an acorn. This can't be good for the baby, she joked to herself as she rolled her eyes. She looked towards the front board and began to copy down the teacher's assignments, unable to prevent herself from eavesdropping into their ruckus of a conversation. They were a trainwreck in the middle of a hurricane.

"You know I was trying to be decent to you this morning because I didn't want to lose you and then you come at me and blindside me out of nowhere." Ashley whispered viciously as she slumped further into her seat. "I'm just making it clear to you that you were the one who didn't want a relationship with me." Ashley sat back up looking over at Spencer with a Western shootout glare. "I think it's you that doesn't want one with me so that you can keep up your shiny image with your dearest mother. 'Oh, no, mom I'm so sorry. That was just a phase. An experiment.' Isn't that right, Spence? I was just a phase for you." Spencer squinted her eyes right back, challenging Ashley to even continue that spat. "That was so uncalled for. You're unbelievable." She said, shaking her head in disbelief as she faced forward towards the front of the classroom. "No, what's unbelievable is that you're making up my mind for me." Spencer made a sarcastic choking sound of shock. "I will not be second best. If you still have a place in that little heart of yours reserved for Aiden, then I really could care less about what your choice is." The lights turned down around them as the teached pulled at the cart with the television and VCR attached. "Pay attention to the movie, Spence, maybe it'll give you some tips on how to be anything other than ridiculous."

Ashley looked up towards the ceiling tiles as if there were a God to her suddenly as the bell to let out of class rang. She wished that someone would just throw Spencer in a basement and lock her there because she was being so unfairly ridiculous at that point. She gathered her things quickly before zooming out of the classroom in lightning speed, rounding the corner in just enough time to smack straight into Aiden's chest. She rubbed her head, reeling from falling flat on her behind. He was smiling at her as he helped her up, "Where are you going in such a hurry?" Ashley rolled her eyes at him. "Nowhere." She muttered defensively. "Look, Ash... I really wanted to talk. I mean, about last night and all. You know, I get that you still have a few feelings for Spencer and I'm okay with that... I love you." He said with the same emphasis he seemed to always place when he said those words. "And I'll stick by you no matter what happens." Ashley shook her head, looking up at Aiden. "Look, Aiden," She began with a glare, but softened as she looked into his eyes. "I know you love me. I love you too... but it's not the same as what I feel for Spencer." Ashley broke eye contact from Aiden, afraid of the hurt that would be in his eyes at what she was going to say next. "I can't be with you. That part of me is reserved for her now... whether she wants it or not." She said, quickly brushing past Aiden and walking away. She tried so hard to stop the tears from coming out as she slipped into an empty, dimly lit classroom. 

"Where's your boyfriend?" Ashley heard a voice from behind her. She cursed herself for her luck. "What's it to you?" Ashley turned around and faced Spencer with the best 'I can't stand you' look she could muster. "I just want to strategically place myself away from the two of you to prevent myself from vomiting uncontrollably." Ashley laughed with sarcasm dripping in even corner of that emotion. "That's really great, how about you just take you, and your barnyard animal attitude and hop a plane back to farmland Ohio." Spencer stood up from the desk, fists clenched, jaw clenched, nearly ready to punch the girl. "There aren't any farms in Ohio." Ashley stepped closer towards Spencer. "Oh yeah? Just pig pens and troughs then, huh?" Spencer almost faultered at the proximity, so she turned back around and threw her hands up in the air. "I can't even believe how much I hate you right now." Ashley faultered this time, looking down towards the ground. "Yeah I can't believe how much you hate me either." She muttered quietly before leaving the classroom.

Spencer sat on the table, staring at the door as if Ashley would come back. This had been the second time... or was it the third? That she'd said she hated Ashley. A part of her was growing to hate her, but the other part loved her so ferverntly that it felt like fire to ice, and the steam was building up all this pressure ready to explode. She felt as if she were going to burst, combust into a million Spencer pieces. She couldn't handle not being Ashley's friend, lover... not being Ashley's everything, but what she couldn't stand more was that she wasn't everything to Ashley. Standing up, she followed the brown haired girl out the door, swinging it open and out into the raging populous of student clamoring about, migrating from class to class as if it were a commute. Spencer saw Ashley vaguely as she rounded the corner. Her feet took her at a brisk pace, occasionally bumping into a freshman or two.

As she rounded the corner, she caught Ashley going into the restroom just as the tardy bell rang. Spencer rolled her eyes, well guess class wasn't an option. She'd already skipped one class, so what did it hurt for another? She wanted to run for one reason, she didn't want to face Ashley, but she went in for two, she wanted to avoid teachers, and she wanted to face Ashley. She was determined as the door opened in front of her. Spencer saw Ashley looking at herself in a trance, a stream of tears streaking some of her face. Spencer grabbed Ashley by the upper arm and yanked her away from the mirror, Ashley's back hit the tile wall with a thump and a grunt. Before Ashley could react, Spencer's body was flush against her, her face so close that she could feel Spencer's breath against her chin, the warmth of her hands on either side of her bare arms, Spencer's leg in between her own. Ashley's heart was racing from the shock and from the feeling of being so close again.

Ashley tried to read Spencer's eyes, but they were downcast, in a trembling waver of self control. Her chest rumbled as her heart threatened to escape, bouncing about the walls of her ribcage as if it were about to go berserk. God, Spencer was so close. Ashley licked her lips, the imaginary taste of her sweet lip gloss tainting her taste buds and tempted her more to close the gap. Her breathing hitched as Spencer pressed her chest against Ashley's. Ashley began to move towards Spencer, craving the taste of her lips in an addicted chaste movement. It made Spencer faulter, flinch backwards away. Ashley moved slower as Spencer settled back into their gap. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to grab Spencer's wrists, flip them around and pin her hands above her head. She wanted to move a knee in between Spencer's legs, feeling the burning heat against her thigh as she kissed those beautifully soft lips with bruising force. She wanted to make Spencer scream her name the way that only her dreams had done the past few weeks.

Ashley moved closer, slower, her lips barely grazing Spencer's, the velvety texture and the slight taste of that strawberry before- "Dykes, this is a bathroom, not a hotel room." Ashley whipped her head over towards the doorway and she was about to leap over and strangle Madison. Even when she and Madison were on good terms, Madison always had a way of ruining absolutely everything. Anything good she had going, Madison either had to wreck it with her uncannily horrible timing, or take it for herself. Ashley stepped towards the cheerleader, images of herself pummelling that white-washed Latin goldigging face, crushing her jaw and shattering it into a pieces like a sledgehammer, slamming her fist into her nose, causing it to erupt in a volcano of blood. "Save it, Madison. I could snap you like a twig." Madison stepped closer, challenging Ashley. "Bring it." Ashley rolled her eyes, "This isn't Bring it on, honey," Her words dripping in threats of violence. "I would beat you to a pul-" Ashley noticed a presence missing.

She looked about the small restroom, and it was only her and Madison. Her heart dropped. Spencer had gone and Ashley hadn't even noticed. She was so caught up in throwing down with Madison that... Ashley sighed as she put her back against the wall, this time on her own. She slid down and squatted against the floor, her hands in her hair. "Nevermind, Madison." She muttered under her breath. Ashley was waiting for some type of snooty remark as Madison's voice began to boom through the small room. "Look, for what it's worth... this whole thing for you and Spencer... really sucks." Ashley snapped up and looked to the other girl. Her head was down and she didn't say another word as she stepped into the stall. "Thanks." Ashley said hesitantly, as if what Madison had said before were just some kind of setup for a grander more devastating put down. She waited a beat before realizing that that was the end of their conversation. Ashley walked out the bathroom. So this was hell. Spencer hating her. Madison not hating her. It was as if the world had flipped upside down.


	3. Chapter III: How's It Gonna Be?

Ashley eyed that brown door that she'd knocked on for the past year or so, wondering what all that knocking on wood really got her in the end anyway. She was tempted to speed up her car on that residential street, but couldn't. It was early in the morning and she was still in a haze. Before she even knew it, she was walking up those familiar steps, knocking on the door in that oh so familiar fashion. Her hands nervously fiddled with some lint in her pockets, a vague thought rushed through her as to how exactly lint accumulated. Was it more like a dustbunny thing or was it like one of those hairballs that cats get or like one of those dog grassball things... gross. The door opened and Ashley's head popped up, to see the one and only Spencer Carlin. Sneakers. Short jean skirt. Tank top. Arms folded across her chest... and oh damn, a very angry look on her face. Ashley made a mental note to go from top to bottom the next time she planned on checking the girl out. "Spencer..." Ashley pulled her hands out of her pocket, rubbing her knuckle into the palm of the other hand. "I uh... I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I know that you deserve so much better than me, but I can't help but be selfish and want you all to myself. You're the only thing that's in my heart, Spencer." Ashley slowly lifted her eyes to meet Spencer's who was still staring intently with a stone cold gaze. "I love you. You're the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep. I dream about you day and night about just being with you. Talking with you like we used to... I miss it. I miss you. I'm so sorry... I'm just so sorry." 

Ashley watched Spencer's eyes soften and waves of relief crashed over her. She suddenly thanked whatever god was out there for pushing her to knock on the Carlin family door. Spencer closed the gap and wrapped her arms over Ashley's shoulders. "I love you Spencer. I can't live without you." Ashley said tearfully. She could hear a faint and muffled 'I love you too' against her shoulder. Ashley held on tight as if the girl were a life raft. She gripped her waist and took a deep breath, breathing in the smell of her pear-like perfume, her cucumber melon lotion, everything that defined Spencer. She never wanted to forget. Ashley knew what it was like to lose something like that and she never wanted it to go away like it did every cold night she'd stare at the ceiling of her room. The only smell left lingering was the Jack Daniels and scented candles that never really smelled like what the label said it would those damn things. Ashley loosened her grip when she felt that Spencer had let go, she looked into those beautiful smiling blue-grey eyes and could feel her knees going weak. She left one hand on Spencer's hip while the other traced her cheekbone, the way it plumped up when she smiled, down her jawbone, thumbing her full lips. That lipgloss. She could smell it. Ashley looked hesitantly up at Spencer's eyes, but she saw they were eyeing her own lips. A small smile turned up, the kind that only the corners showed, as she leaned in slowly. She loved how there was never that awkward 'which way does my head go' when she and Spencer kissed. It was natural. It was pure. Ashley leaned in a little more, slowly, savoring the moment that she was whole again. Completely whole and wholly complete. Their lips grazed one another so briefly and Ashley's lip began to tremble at the contact. Her bottom lip brushed up against the top of Spencer's and she felt the softness of those lips kiss her so tenderly, she felt like she'd burst from the tension.

Ashley's hands wrapped around Spencer's waist as they kissed, not sure whether it abnormal to smile so widely in the middle of a semi-makeout session. She felt Spencer's hands on her shoulders, then around her neck, then behind her head, pulling her closer, deeper. They broke apart for the briefest second before crashing back together again forcing Ashley to moan at the intensity of the entire moment. Ashley felt Spencer's tongue run across the dip of her top lip and she loss all memory of how to stand. Spencer spun her against the wall next to the door near the stairway, holding her up against the wall. There was nothing better than the sensation of kissing Spencer Carlin only equalled by the feeling of her lips kissing the corner of hers, over to the side of her jaw, tracing so slowly up her ear, then nuzzling against the back of it before kissing the entire line down towards her pulse point. "Oh Jesus Christalmighty." Ashley let out as if she had just been punched in the gut... in a good way. Her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling, her hands gripping onto Spencer's hipbones, digging her nails into her skin. No one could make her feel this good. No one could make her feel as if every cell of her body were vibrating. No one but Spencer could make her feel so loved, so out of control, so blissfully amazing. Ashley whispered Spencer's name as she felt the girl run the back of her nails against her skin just below her jeans. Her hands wandered up, letting her wrist slowly drag up Ashley's shirt before thumbing the bottom fabric of the helpless girl's bra. Those sly digits fingered their way under the fabric, caressing the side of Ashley's breast forcing her to gasp for air. Spencer was the only one who she trusted so completely that she'd give over control to her.

They broke apart briefly, eyes meeting during that pause. Ashley watched those blue hues turn into a midnight grey, the kind that clouds would turn during a good dance in the rain kind of rain. God she thought she was going to cum at that very second, just staring into those eyes. No one had ever wanted Ashley so completely. Not just her body. Their eyes stayed connected as she felt Spencer's fingers fiddling with the fabric of her jeans, and a subtle pop as the button was pried open. She forced her eyes to stay on Spencer's as she felt those fingers, those wonderful fingers, drift down against the fabric of her underwear, nudging it down a bit, and running her nails back and for along the exposed skin. She watched those eyes so desperately, wanting to beg, plead, do whatever to make those fingers move some more, southbound. More, just a little more. Just a little. As Ashley's eyes closed at the immense pleasure of it all, she heard a husky voice call out to her, "Baby?" Ashley whimpered in response. "Ash, you really... really..." 

"Have to wake up now. C'mon, I'm not kidding. This is ridiculous and we are so late." Ashley frowned. Uh... what? She looked up to see Kyla and her eyes went wide. What the hell just happened? Didn't she... wasn't... didn't she wake up already? No. No no no. This was not happening. God this was worse than that season of Dallas. Ashley was convinced that it was real. It had to have been. The feeling of Spencer's hands. The smell. She could smell it so distinctively. How could it have been possible tha- Did she seriously just have a wet dream and then, this is the good part, have it interrupted by her sister? Gross. Gross! Sitting up, Ashley screamed the biggest scream since Sarah Michelle Gellar or was it Jennifer Love Hewitt in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Kyla's eyes went wide right back at Ashley, popping off of Ashley's bed with her hands up in surrender. "Jeez I know I don't look that great in the morning, but that was seriously harsh." Ashley flopped back on the bed with a groan, stuffing a pillow in her face as if that would really drown out the embarrassment and humiliation involved with the situation. In retrospect... it was probably Jennifer Love Hewitt...

Ashley could hear Kyla screaming already from some far off corridor, and she kicked off the covers with a growl, still reeling from the dream that she had. Dreams meant something, right? So if Ashley was knocking on the door to Spencer's house, that could have meant that she was trying to find a doorway to their relationship. Spencer opening it would mean that she was accepting or would eventually be accepting according to Ashley's belief. Their kissing could mean... that Ashley was just very horny. That was probably the entire deal of it all. That was it. She needed a break. Normally, she'd take a shower and just be late for school, but at that point, showers could be very distracting and god knew how long she'd wind up in there. She sat up, letting her legs dangle off the end of the bed a bit, her toes skimming the floor.

With a deep breath, she hopped out of bed, walking into her closet. She was definitely not ready for school. Sifting through her closet, Ashley deduced that she needed a shopping spree. It could help take her mind off Spencer and she had the money to burn. Kill two birds with one stone. Her straying thoughts were disrupted by Kyla screaming again. "Chill out, Kyla." She screamed from her closet, doubting that the girl could audibly make out what she said anyway. Ashley grabbed a skin tight pinstripe vest with ties in the back and it's counterpart hanging on the bar below, a black pleated skirt cut short Ashley style. She figured she'd better hurry up and get ready before Kyla had a cow... or two... or a whole farm for that matter at the rate she was going. "Moo." She muttered to herself as she walked out of her closet, changing on her way towards the door.

By the time Ashley got in the car, Kyla had clearly been sitting in the passenger side for a pretty long time. Her arms were folded across her chest, staring straight at the glove box. "Sorry." Ashley said apathetically as she started the engine to the car. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Kyla had put her arm on the armrest, taking a deep breath. "It's cool. You had enough alcohol last night to intoxicate a frat house." Ashley smirked and chuckled a bit at that observation.

Ashley turned the corner and eyed that little brown door once again. Her foot automatically applied pressure on the brake pedal and everything seemed to move in slow motion. As if they weren't moving at all. Her brow furrowed at the memory. That dream. Her. Spencer. She gripped the wheel until her knuckles turned bone white. Ashley couldn't help it. She missed Spencer. The way they fit together, the way they walked at the same pace with such ease, and the way they seem to just be made for one another. "Ash." A voice called her her softly as she felt a hand on her arm. Her head snapped over to the passenger side frantically, as if she were a scared animal. Kyla eyed the girl suspiciously before faltering from the intensity of the gaze.

"I'm sorry about Aiden and..." Kyla's head popped back up at the hesitant voice that came from the driver's seat. She was shocked that Ashley would apologize of all things. Although they'd never really got too close as close as they'd been recently after the whole Aiden love confession incident. "And I just... I wish I could change him and other people but I can't. I'm just sorry..." She trailed off, every so often glancing at that brown door. Kyla shook her head, fiddling with the seat belt jack. Ashley was wrong. She blamed herself, but in fact it wasn't her fault. Kyla thought long and hard after the dance. She couldn't believe how people could so efficiently hide their feelings. She barely saw it coming. She was convinced that Aiden was over her. Sometimes she felt as if Aiden was trying to replace Ashley with herself. It was why she kept that little bridge of distance between him and herself. No.

"You shouldn't be sorry, Ashley. I got involved with a guy I knew... I should have known better. I will know better." Kyla nodded as she sat back against the back of the chair. There were so many things that had gone on. She made a mistake with Aiden and she didn't want to go through that pain again. She was right to be apprehensive. Kyla had done enough crying, ate enough Ben & Jerry's and watched enough romantic comedies in the few weeks that the whirlwind that was Aiden had occurred. Ashley always had her own universe. She had her own amazingly soap opera-ish drama. At first, Kyla thought that Aiden had gotten sucked into Ashley's world, but in reality, Aiden had a world all his own. He had his own soap opera-ish universe. He had his own insane drama queen moments. It wasn't just Ashley. Maybe that was why they were so drawn to one another: their fascination with the drama within the other person's life. Maybe... "You shouldn't be sorry," Kyla replied, looking out the window as she continued to speak, "let's get to school."

Ashley nodded, agreeing as she began to speed up. The rest of the commute was spent in silence, a long pause of self-evaluation and speculation. By the time they pulled up to King High, the students were already hustling and bustling about. There were kids skateboarding and some biking around the parking lot. Ashley swerved out of the way cursing at the unwitting freshmen. "Jeez man, watch it I almost Grand Theft Auto'ed your ass!" Sighing, she shook her head in disapproval. "They really need one school for upperclassmen. One school for lower classmen." She said, smirking at Kyla as she chuckled at the joke. They parked and hopped out of the car, looking about for any familiar faces as they always did in the mornings.

Kyla seemed to have won the not-so competition. She turned to Ashley, readjusting her backpack on her shoulder. "Hey, I'll see you after school okay?" With a wave, she turned off in the opposite direction as Ashley. Left all alone once again. Ashley squinted in the sunlight as she looked about the schoolgrounds. She flipped open her phone to look at the time. Damn. For once, she wished that school would just start already. She shrugged to herself and began walking towards her locker until she saw Aiden rounding the corner. The persistent boy was the last person she wanted to see at that moment. She turned on her heels towards the opposing direction to se who else but Spencer Carlin sitting on a bench near the courtyard. Ashley felt like a cornered animal. She frowned as she watched Spencer more closely. The girl looked like she'd been... well she looked like hell. Against her best judgment, she walked towards Spencer, slowly and cautiously as if Spencer would snap at her like a rattlesnake. "Armistice?" She asked, causing Spencer to pop from her obviously sleep deprived daze.

"Truce?" Spencer asked after a little pause. She seriously did not have enough energy to put up the whole tough girl girltrash thing that she'd been doing for the past few days. It was trying and she had little patience. "What's the difference?" Ashley asked with a smirk. Spencer slid over to make room for Ashley to sit on the bench next to her, tossing her backpack on the grass next to the bench. "A truce is a cease-fire of hostilities over a certain period of time. An armistice does not have a time period." Spencer explained. "And I don't think you and I are ready to treat one another any better than the crappy way we've been treating each other lately." Spencer watched the dirt get displaced from the grass as she kicked a small trench with her heel.

Ashley leaned back, supporting her self by placing her arms behind her, gripping the back edge of the bench and letting some sunlight hit her face. She forgot her sunglasses. The thought suddenly occurred to her as she scrunched her eyes shut from the brightness. "Okay Miriam Webster. So what's wrong?" There was a long moment of silence without any hint of a response coming Ashley's way and she turned her head towards the other girl. Spencer seemed to be off in her own place, one that was causing her an exponential amount of pain. Spencer always had that habit of dwelling on bad things as if they were suddenly going to get better. The only way to detour her one-track mind was to give her some solace elsewhere. Whatever it was, it was eating her out from the inside, and the fact that Spencer was even talking to Ashley gave her at least a hint: it didnt have anything to do with her. It must've been from home, was all that Ashley could deduce. She stood up and faced Spencer, offering her a hand to get up. Spencer looked at her questioningly.

Spencer was ready to open her mouth and ask, but when had it ever made a difference what Ashley said or how Spencer felt about it? Ashley got her way in the end because that was Ashley and she had that "spoil me" face... that "spoil me" body and that "you have no choice" kind of voice. She took Ashley's hand with a bit of hesitance. "Where are we going?" Although she had earlier on decided not to ask, her curiosity bested her. There was no response from Ashley as she led them towards her Porsche. A passing thought ran through her that she shouldn't be skipping school. Very passing. Getting into the car, they pulled out of school before it even had a chance to start. Spencer watched the landscape fly by as Ashley drove. She could feel Ashley glancing over every and then as if Spencer were going to sprout horns or something. "So, do you want to talk about it?" Spencer didn't look away from the blacktop running away from her outside that bullet of a car. "Not yet." She said plainly.

They slowed as Ashley pulled up to a familiar driveway. Spencer watched as Ashley exited the car and began walking towards the front door of her immense mansion. Spencer didn't even get a chance to ask what they were doing there. She caught up to Ashley as she was fiddling with her keys. "What are we doing here?" She asked, but the question didn't seem to sink in Ashley began unlocking her door. "It's a cease-fire, Ashley, not a cease-breakup." Spencer deadpanned with her hands on her hips. Ashley turned around rolling her eyes as the door opened in front of them. Spencer watched as Ashley began to walk up the stairs. Hand on the banister, she turned around, going up the stairs backwards as she finally responded. "You wish I was that easy to bag." Turning around, the brunette continued up the stairs nearing the top. Spencer watched as the girl's hips swayed with such... wow. "Hurry up." She shook herself out of her reverie and shut the door before pursuing the girl up towards what Spencer assumed was going to be Ashley's room.

By the time she got to Ashley's room, the punk rock rebel had changed into a tank and shorts. Spencer scanned the girl's body up and down as she grabbed Spencer's hand, leading her towards the bed. The bed? Spencer resisted, pulling back a bit. "I thought I told you. No sex." Ashley squinted her eyes and made a face much resembling the words 'Um okay what the hell ever'. Spencer relented as Ashley tried again to pull her onto the bed. They rustled about until finally settling into a position where they were facing one another, Spencer's head on Ashley's arm. Spencer was a little uneasy from the proximity and could tell that this was more than an awkward moment. It was... way beyond awkward. Spencer looked up at Ashley with a confused look, but was cut off before she had a chance to ask exactly what Ashley was up to. "From the looks of it, you need sleep. Bad." Spencer, outraged, was about to protest to such offense, but found it hard to argue. She'd spent the better part of the night crying, and when she wasn't crying, she was hiccupping from the crying or wiping her eyes until they burned. She settled into the comfort of Ashley's arms.

There was a slight silence before Spencer began to speak, letting some of the pain out. "My parents were arguing last night. About me. About Glen. And Clay... they argued about how the three of us became such disasters. Train wrecks. They argued about how... they... my mom's been cheating on my dad. I..." Tears threatened to rip through her again. Ashley pulled Spencer in tighter, running her nails along Spencer's back soothingly, the way that Spencer used to lull Ashley to sleep. She shushed Spencer calmingly, kissing her forehead and praying that Spencer wouldn't start crying those tears that were brimming at the corners of her eyes. If Spencer started to cry, Ashley didn't think she could go back to hating her again after all this was over. She didn't think she could even without Spencer crying.

Spencer missed the way that Ashley's blanket felt against her skin and the way that it felt knowing Ashley was in bed with her. It was all so soothing. Even the air in Ashley's room smelled cleaner. There was the light scent of Ashley's perfume that made it all the more welcoming. That fuzzy feeling bubbled up and down in the center of her chest, and a cloud of sleepiness poured out from the previous night. Ashley's arms were wrapped so tightly around Spencer, it reassured the girl that she could fall no further, no deeper into that well of depression she'd been in for the entire horrible night. Spencer closed her eyes concentrating on the feeling of Ashley's nails lightly tracing patterns against the skin of her back, on the light breeze from Ashley's steady breathing, on the way Ashley smelled. She tried to memorize the entire moment as she nuzzled her nose against Ashley's collarbone, putting her hand on Ashley's hip. She heard Ashley's beautiful voice as she slowly drifted towards sleep. "Just go to sleep, okay? We'll find a way. We always do."


	4. Chapter IV: Apathy is a Cold Body

Author's Note: Honestly guys, I can't wait to get to the fun part. Thanks for the people who read and reviewed this fic. The reviews although sparse have been why I've kept up with this fic. So thanks again.

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Ashley woke up to darkness, a blank canvas of black. There was a softness weighing down on her hip and the smell of Spencer's hair was wafting through her nose from the position it was nestled in under her chin. She shut her eyes for another moment to memorize the feeling before carefully moving herself into a position that she could see Spencer's face. God she was so beautiful. She was a sight for sore eyes on any day of the week. There was a world so full of ugliness that everytime Ashley saw Spencer's eversmiling and occasional frowning face, she still felt this concrete feeling of landing, just landing, like a plane touching down. There was that kind of turbulence that would shake you awake from that nightmare you were having and you'd get to look outside to the flashing lights late at night. The flashing lights that said home. Spencer was home for Ashley. It was almost the same kind of feeling Ashley had with Aiden. Not quite. There was something about Aiden that made her feel more. Like she was more than just her. It was why the decision was even a decision at all. She felt like she'd be losing something in losing Aiden. But at that moment, holding Spencer in her arms, she felt like she'd gained everything. She let her eyes trace the features of Spencer's sleeping form. The blonde looked so tired in the morning. She had that jaded look as if she were going to fall apart at any given moment. Ashley watched the way her nostrils would flare just a little every time she inhaled and the way that her lips would twitch when she exhaled, like she was trying to breathe out her mouth but wouldn't let herself. She remembered one time that Spencer didn't keep her mouth shut. She drooled all over Ashley's shoulder. Ashley smiled a bit at the memory. When Ashley was with Spencer, she didn't feel like she had to be more. She felt like she was... it was hard to describe.

Ashley wasn't used to being out of control. With Aiden, she always had the control she craved. She seemed to wear the pants in the relationship that was her and Aiden. With Spencer, Ashley was puddy in Spencer's hands. She was afraid of that feeling and even though that feeling of falling was a million times better than that feeling of comfort, of ease, she couldn't let herself make that leap of faith. Ashley was never really big on faith. Looking over at the clock perched next to her bed, she squinted in the darkness trying to catch a blur of the little red numbers on the other side of the bed. They'd been asleep for over fourteen hours. As much as she couldn't bear to wake the angel in her arms, she knew that what was best for her was to wake her. Ashley was slightly tempted to let her sleep and use the excuse that she was so peaceful, but she knew that it was just a coverup for wanting time with her just a little bit longer. She gazed at the beautiful girl as intently as she could for a few last minutes. She was going to miss this peace. Ashley knew that when Spencer woke up, the truce would be off. Reluctantly, she placed a hand on Spencer's cheek, then on her shoulder, shaking it gently. "Spencer," Ashley whispered into the night, "Spence, wake up, sweetie. It's getting late." The only response she got was a bit of a frown and a little mumble that sounded like "Idunwanna". Ashley rolled her eyes thinking to herself that of all people, Ashley was the last one who would want Spencer awake at that moment. She persisted though, for Spencer's sake. "You have to wake up, Spence. It's really getting late." Finally, in the haze of darkness, she saw Spencer's eyes flutter open groggily with a dopey smile on her face. Good dream? "Sleep well?" Ashley asked with a cocky smile. That kind of attitude really got her nowhere when it came to Spencer, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. The only person who could see through all of Ashley's bull was Spencer. She could strip the girl of every arrogant defense she'd owned within a split second. Ashley remembered one night that they were lying in bed, watching videos on the internet, and Ashley made some ignorant comment about how she didn't need love in her life. This was right when they'd gotten together. Spencer was Ashley's little brain ninja. One word... kapow.

"Mmmm. Thanks..." There was a bit of awkwardness infused into the silence. Neither of them were sure if they were supposed to start hating each other once more or try to find a different way to work things out. Ashley looked into Spencer's eyes and could see that little prayer, the same one that Ashley was silently reciting in her mind. She didn't want it to end. She knew that she'd messed up. She knew that even when she and Spencer were together, she looked at Aiden with such longing. She looked at Aiden as if she wanted to be with him, but it was because she felt herself slipping more and more in love with Spencer, in a way that she had never planned in her entire life. She had her heart set on being in control, at the helm, at all times, but her heart had other plans. It ran away from her and she didn't know what to do. She looked at Aiden, missing those moments that she had complete control... but was that really worth giving up being complete? She watched Spencer look over at the clock in a manner similar to Ashley, but with a groan as she read those wretched little digits. "I really don't want to go back there." Spencer said ruefully, knowing that going back was light running back into a burning house. The Carlin house was surely burning. Every Carlin family member had their own vice, their own reason for being in hell, but hey, at least they were in it together. Spencer found so much solitude in Ashley's bed, she couldn't bear herself to get out from under the covers or away from Ashley's arms. Sometimes Spencer thought of giving into Ashley. There was that side of her that wanted to be selfish and just take Ashley for her own, but she knew that it would never be right and that she would never be satisfied. Neither of them would. Spencer wanted all of Ashley, but neither Ashley nor Aiden was able to let that extra part go. Spencer knew it was doomed from that point on. There were times where she would catch Ashley staring at Aiden, with an indescribable look in her eyes, a look that would make her blood boil. Spencer wondered when it was that Ashley had stopped chasing her and she had ended up chasing Ashley. When had the roles switched? Ashley had really gotten spoiled, not having to work for everything, but instead having everything given to her and even some things that she didn't ask for, just handed to her on a silver platter. Spencer looked into Ashley's eyes, in that little fog of darkness, in their little nook of the world, and couldn't help but drift her stare down to those lips.

Spencer licked her own lips, almost able to taste that little hint of cherry from Ashley's overpriced fashion lipgloss. She could almost feel her lips on fire as the thought of Ashley's tongue sliding over her top lip came into mind. The more Spencer thought about it, the harder it was to pull her eyes away from Ashley's lips. She momentarily glanced up at Ashley's eyes for a moment and saw Ashley doing just the same to her. There was that heat in between them that could burn water. Spencer felt herself unconsciously slipping closer and closer to Ashley's lips. She could feel Ashley drifting closer and closer to hers. God the anticipation was killing her. Every time they kissed, it was different. It was an explosion, but it was different. Variety was the spice of life. Spencer figured that was why she couldn't get enough of Ashley or the way she kissed. She remembered taking a drive out one day and stopping off at a Subway to get a bite to eat. Spencer went into the restroom to wash her hands, and as she opened the door to exit, Ashley was standing right in that crack, the only pathway out the door. Spencer opened the door wider to let Ashley in, but Ashley only used that space to whip Spencer around, pinning her up against the wall next to the door. Spencer remembered the way that Ashley's chest felt heaving against her own, the way that her bare midriff felt against her hands, and way Ashley skimmed her lips across her collarbone, and her jawline, before colliding into a rough kiss. Their lips were so close at that moment that Spencer was mentally begging and pleading for one of them to move just a bit more, just that little taste. She looked up at Ashley, her eyes were full of longing and want. There was a barrier between the two of them, something that neither of them could break. One of them was holding back, and the other was just standing still in uncertainty. If they got back together, would Spencer feel that same sense of being incomplete that she did when they were together? Would Ashley still look at Aiden? Would that never stop? Would Ashley ever let her get closer? Would she ever reach that perfect love she knew that she and Ashley could be? She couldn't let herself go, couldn't give herself up to Ashley quite yet. She needed to know that Ashley wanted her with a passion that was uncontained. She needed to know that she was Ashley's number one priority at all times. She needed it before she could...

But she couldn't wait any longer. She felt as if she could empathize with a heroin addict at that moment. Her entire body began to shake. She needed to close that gap. Just a little more. Spencer knew she couldn't live her life without Ashley, and in a moment of weakness, she decided to give in just this once, and push past that barrier. She bit her bottom lip habitually as she began to move foreward, closing the gap so that they cou- A blinding light hit them and Spencer flinched from the brightness. They both looked over to see Kyla with her hand on the doorknob, a shocked look on her face. "Um, Spencer," Kyla squeaked, her voice cracking with surprise, "I uh, I didn't know that you were here, I just uh..." She looked down at her shoes in embarrassment. As sweet as Kyla was, Spencer was about to throw a fit. She was bouncing off the recesses of her mind, and imagining that she was pounding Kyla with that doorknob at that moment. Equally humiliated, however, Spencer just nervously cleared her throat, pulling a great distance away from Ashley. She looked over at Ashley to gauge exactly how much trouble Kyla was in at that moment and her eyes popped wide open, more than fully awake all of a sudden. Kyla was probably breathing her last few gulps of precious air in that brief pause between her talking and Ashley's growling.

"For the millionth time, how about a knock before you come barging into my room?" Ashley threw out that rhetorical question with such venomous aggression that it made Spencer flinch and it wasn't even directed at her. Ashley looked as if she were a cartoon, where the character's head would turn red and bloated, steam coming out each ear. The girl was livid. Understandably so, Kyla had mused, pulling the doorway shut to just a crack. "Um wow..." Kyla said in response, looking everywhere but the bed at that moment, "I was going to scream at you for ditching me at school, but I guess we're even now." She said, clapping her hands together before looking at Spencer apologetically. "I'm really sorry Spencer." She said with an ouch expression on her face. Spencer nodded, not making direct eye contact with Kyla while fixing her ruffled hair. Kyla must've thought they were doing some heaving make-outage from the looks of both her and Ashley. It was actually pretty hilarious that they hadn't even kissed yet. Spencer really didn't need that reminder as it was blaringly obvious how close they were to kissing and how far they were from it at the present. "I'm just... well I'm gonna go." Kyla said, point out the door with a bit of a fidget before shutting the door so frantically that it caused the doorway to pop in a loud slam. Ashley fell back to bed, staring at the ceiling. That near-kiss was one of those moments that couldn't be replicated or continued after a short commercial break. She felt as if she'd just gotten her hopes up for nothing. There was yet again another ruined moment by yet again, another brunette that seemed to have habitually ruined Ashley's life in some way, shape, or form. She was beginning to feel like a character in The Importance of Being Ernest, because the coincidences at that point in her life were beginning to outweigh the infinite supply of subtle ironies.

Ashley looked over at Spencer, who was still sitting up in bed. The moon seemed to have pulled out from the clouds because there was a glint of light softly streaming through her window. She watched every little ribbon of light just accentuate Spencer's unimaginable beauty. "So..." Ashley began hesitantly, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer. Somehow, she already knew what the answer was going to be and she didn't like it. Although it was an obligatory question, for that slight little bit of hope that the answer was no. "Um, so I guess that truce is over now." Ashley suddenly found an amplified amount of interest at the stitching of her comforter, not able to meet Spencer's eyes. Spencer wasn't ready to look over at Ashley either. Looking over at her would make it impossible to answer Ashley with the response that seemed almost scripted. Spencer looked out of Ashley's window, unable to see any stars the way she was able to in her former dwelling of Ohio. There was too much pollution for that. Los Angeles was defiantly a culture shock for Spencer and a whirlwind full of corruption and sin comparatively. Spencer didn't want to say it. She wanted to say that she wanted to deal. She wanted to compromise. Spencer wanted to write out a treaty and have them both sign it in blood so that it could never be broken, but she knew that Ashley wouldn't be able to honor any of the demands that Spencer had. Ashley couldn't even figure out what she wanted. No, Spencer needed Ashley to realize that she wasn't going to go running back to Ashley on a whim. Ashley needed to work for Spencer because Spencer was something to be deserved, not some free pamphlet to momentarily interest the girl. She began to get out of bed, knowing that if she stayed there for any longer, she wouldn't be able to leave. She knew that it would be a horrendously awkward car ride that she and Ashley would both have to suffer through. Standing up, she straightened her clothes a bit and tried to seem as presentable as possible. Her shirt had wrinkled in her sleep and her hair looked as if it hadn't been combed in weeks.

"I guess it is." Spencer said as she looked towards the door, making a mental goal to make it there without having to look back at Ashley. To go back to Ashley would be hoping for a fairytale to come true. There was a part of Spencer that was angry at Ashley for not being able to figure it out, for always thinking that the universe was to cater to her and spoil her and fulfill her every desire. She was mad that Ashley couldn't mature enough to piece the puzzle together, to see that all she had to do was try and Spencer would take her back. Really try, and not just... not say things, and sit there at wait off in the distance for Spencer to go running. Spencer wasn't a dog. She wasn't to be toyed with or manipulated, and she wasn't going to give up so easy. "I'll get a ride from Kyla." Spencer said with a newfound resolve as her hand touched the doorknob. She was certain at that point that if Ashley couldn't work for her, truly work to deserve her, then Ashley wasn't worth keeping. It hurt to think that way, but it was the truth. With a deep breath, she opened the door, letting light overtake the darkness like the cold sucking away the heat. She stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind her, leaving Ashley alone in bed, with the scent of Spencer's shampoo and perfume still woven into every particle of the room.

Spencer's eyes shut automatically, unable to immediately focus to the sudden light of the hallway. She looked to on end of the hall, then the other, before hearing some muffled music far off in the distance. She began to walk towards Kyla's door, now regretting having walked away from Ashley. What was done was done and there was nothing Spencer could do about it anymore. She knocked on Kyla's door. No response. The music seemed to be to loud. She smiled, hearing the familiar melody of Kelly Clarkson, and knocked again, harder this time. Still no response. She decided to just open the door, speaking loudly as she went, "Hey I knocked but I don't think you could hear me!" She said loudly over the blasting mustic. As she peered over the wood of the door, she saw Kyla sitting upright in bed, writing in what seemed to be a journal. Spencer assumed it was homework as she offered Kyla a slight smile. "Hey um, sorry to bother you but I was wonder if you could take me home?" She asked, gesturing out the door. Kyla was looking up at Spencer, and shrugged her answer.

"Sure no problem..." As she got up, she paused, looking over to Spencer with an odd look in her eye. "I thought you and Ashley were..." Spencer looked down onto the ground, her hands in her pockets and Kyla pretty much got the picture. She nodded solemnly as she slipped on her shoes. "I'm sorry..." Somehow, it seemed as if everyone was full of apologize lately. "You two are like... really good together. I mean, like you are wayyyy too good for Ashley," She said with a sarcastic tone, "But the two of you... I don't know... fit. I'm just sorry that everything happened the way it did." She said with a nod. She noticed that Spencer seemed to be very quiet through Kyla's incessant rambling. Was she making Spencer uncomfortable? Kyla shook her head, immediately regretting she'd even opened her mouth. "I am so sorry... I am way out of line." Stupid Kyla couldn't mind her own business. How was it that she always got caught up in everyone else's business and she never really got the chance to solve her own? Or maybe she just focused on others so that she didn't have to pay attention to her own problems. She looked over to Spencer who gave a slight grin which made Kyla all the more confused.

"No, no. Not out of line, I mean Kyla you're my friend. An awesome friend," Spencer trailed off raising her eyebrows a bit at exactly how good of a friend Kyla was sometimes. Kyla was all set to go, so she figured to walk and talk seeing as it was late. Spencer walked out the door and Kyla followed suit, closing the door behind her. "I just feel so torn, you know?" She looked over to Kyla who nodded in acknowledgement. "I mean, I know I can't stay away from her. I love her so much, but I hate her. I really do hate her..." She watched her own feet move one by one away from Ashley's house and closer towards the car. "I hate her for not being able to choose. I hate her for not just letting go and letting us be together, like really together. I feel... gypped." She opened the passenger side door and seated and buckled herself in. She looked over to see Kyla adjusting her seat a bit in the car. "I don't want to get sucked into her mess, but I can't stay away from her. There are just all these feelings I have for her are..." She trailed off when her phone began to vibrate. Looking at the caller ID, Spencer rolled her eyes, barely even out the driveway and- she put the call to voicemail. Not in the mood. "Part of me really really hates her. I just want her to go away and never bother or complicate my life ever again. As long as Ashley's around, there's always going to be trouble and drama and..." Spencer let her head bang back against the headrest. "Sorry about the vent I just can't stand Ashley, but then we're alone together and she looks at me, and I-I...I just melt. I lose all control. She has me in the palm of her hand and I feel so vulnerable and open. It hurts to know that I don't make her feel that way that she won't let me."

Kyla looked Spencer in the eye as they reached a stop sign, smiling to her reassuringly. She knew that Spencer and Ashley couldn't stay apart. She knew from the way that Ashley talked about Spencer that Spencer was the one who would make Ashley a decent person. She knew that Spencer was way too good for Ashley, but something about Ashley made Spencer so stuck that she couldn't see anything or anyone else. Kyla also knew that Ashley would give anything for Spencer, and that was one of her redeeming qualities. Kyla was convinced that Spencer and Ashley were made for one another, as twisted as it was or sounded. Kyla just knew and she knew that she had to make this happen because there was sure as hell no way that neither of those stubborn crazy lesbians, not-so-lesbians, whatever they were, were going to work it out by themsevles. "I'm really sorry," She said as she turned closer towards Spencer's house, "But you know what, I have a feeling that things'll work out the way they're meant to." With a grin, she pulled up into Spencer's driveway. It just couldn't be fought.

Kyla's drive home, she couldn't wipe a goofy smile off her face. A plan was formulating with every turn and stop sign she hit, every chance she got to think. Things were progressing very well and before either of them knew it, they'd be happy as ever. Somebody in Kyla's life needed to be happy even if it wasn't her. She was relying on Spencer and Ashley to give her some sense of hope. Now, how she was going to go about doing this was the hard part. Kyla pulled up into the driveway of the Davies mansion and put the car in park. She giddily got out of the car and rushed straight into the house. She was going to have to put up an Oscar nominated caliber performance as Ashley was rather good at seeing through people's bull. Her hand touched the doorknob of Ashley's room, but stopped before she could turn it. Not wanting to get her head bitten off, she knocked on the door and waited to hear a muffled 'Come In' before she opened the door.

Kyla knew the light would be horrible for Ashley as she liked to sulk in the darkness, so she shut the door behind her, leaning against it as she spoke. "Hey Ash, you think you could go with me to Grey on Saturday. They have that awesome DJ and I really don't want to go alone." She gave her best puppy dog eyes. It was a plausible excuse. There had been plenty of times Ashley would pull Kyla out to go clubbing for no apparent reason at all. More than ninety percent of the time, Kyla didn't really feel like it, but went just to have something to do. "Pleaseee? I'm just afraid I'll get hit on by some jerk who slips me a roofie and the next thing I'll kno- kafloofie, I'm in bed with some spikey haired Armenian guy who unbuttons his shirt three buttons down and shows off his gross chest hairs like it's something to be proud of. Let me tell you, Ash, that is definitely not my idea of a good time and all I really want to do is go see that DJ, I mean you don't even have to dan-"

She heard a frustrated groan from the bed before the answer, "Why don't you ask Spencer or Madison or something?" Oh that was a good point. Hm, sisterly bonding? Yeah right, that excuse was about as good as telling the teacher the dog ate your homework, Kyla thought to herself. Kyla was almost at a lost for words. "Madison doesn't like the DJ and I think Spencer's doing some church thing with her mom that night. I already asked her when I took her home. So what do you say, pleeease? Please please? We'll have a good time and you know what? If we don't you could just go get hammered at the bar. So please? Will you go with me?" There was a long pause then a sigh as if she lost the battle. Kyla grinned, "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" Obviously Ashley wasn't in a good mood. Oh don't worry about that, Kyla thought to herself deviously. My my my how devilish Miss Kyla had become, she observed of herself amusingly. "Okay um I'll let you sleep now, night!" And with that she hopped out of Ashley's room, smile permanently plastered on her face. She couldn't wait until Saturday.


	5. Author's Note

Author's Note: Okay for those who are reading, I'm thinking of discontinuing this fic because it's becoming mmmm-unproductive. I've been at a block for, pretty much forever now and I have no clue where or what to put next. I don't have a beta for this story so I'm really sorry if it's obtusely rough around the edges. Anyways, feel free to message me if you have any ideas on how to pick this thing up.


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